Local services
Answers to the many questions raised about CATL’s investment can be found on the newly launched information website.
Launched under the auspices of the EDC Debrecen Urban and Economic Development Center, the portal provides information on water and energy use and the role of the monitoring system.
Zoltán Pécskay, managing director of EDC Debrecen, spoke about this and Debrecen’s economic role in local television. The managing director said there was a noticeable demand from the public because of the particular focus on this investment. The information available is sometimes challenging to understand because of its technical nature.
“We have gathered information that was already available before, but now the most important issues and topics are in one place, concisely and understandably,” Zoltán Pécskay stressed, who mentioned as an example that several issues on water and energy use have been published.
The website contains the facts that are included in the licensing documents. That is, the average daily water demand of the factory is 3378 cubic metres, while the maximum is 6,232 cubic metres in the first phase. It is important to stress that this is the total water demand, so it is not only drinking water but also includes the so-called grey water.
As for the power demand, the website also publishes the demand declared by the manufacturer, which states that a maximum of 100 megavolt amperes of power capacity will be needed in the first phase. The infrastructure development of the industrial park will be carried out accordingly.
As for the monitoring system, Zoltán Pécskay said that the main parameters of the monitoring system are available on the website, along with which tests are being carried out: these are the protection of air, surface and groundwater and soil.
“The monitoring goes beyond CATL, as it will also cover the city and its surroundings,” he stressed.
Zoltán Pécskay said that there would be no workers’ hostels in the suburbs, as there was no legal basis for them, and that they could only be temporary accommodation linked to the construction work within the industrial park.
Debrecen is currently undergoing large-scale economic development beyond the Southern Economic Zone- BMW is the best example. Since 2015, more than €11 billion worth of investment has been announced in the city, and there are already factories that have started operations and become new taxpayers in Debrecen, he pointed out.
He stressed that the state provides the necessary infrastructure improvements for these investments and that local business tax goes directly into the city’s coffers.
Speaking about the labour needs of factories, Zoltán Pécskay said: this is one of the first questions asked when a company wants to set up in a new location. Debrecen has a strong base in this respect because of its strong educational background, with many students in vocational training and higher education. And the expanding job opportunities may encourage many to stay in the city after their studies.
In 2010, average earnings in Debrecen were still in line with the national average, with a 27% gap compared to Budapest. By 2022, the gap with the capital will have narrowed to 21%, with average earnings rising by 6% compared to the national average. According to EDC’s calculations, the Debrecen economy will grow sixfold between 2020 and 2030, making the city a powerhouse in the Central Eastern European region, he stressed.
Speaking about the situation of the small and medium-sized enterprise sector in Debrecen, Zoltán Pécskay said that they are in constant contact with representatives of the sector, as they must also benefit from economic growth. That is why they are supported by a training programme.
Source and photo credit: Dehir.hu
